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Additional file 1: Table S1. Impact of B vitamin drinks on B vitamin biomarkers controlling for baseline homocysteine concentrations. Table S2. B vitamin biomarkers at baseline and end of intervention with the drinks (Per protocol analysis). Table S3. Impact of B vitamin drinks on biomarker status controlling for baseline homocysteine concentrations (per-protocol analysis).

Recent studies have highlighted that significant numbers of older adults in Ireland have sub-optimal B vitamin status despite voluntary fortification of various foods. Novel food-based solutions are thus needed to address this. The objective of the Opti-Age food intervention study was to develop and investigate the effectiveness of a B vitamin fortified drink in improving B vitamin biomarker status.A multicentre double-blind randomised control trial was performed in University College Dublin (UCD) and Ulster University (UU). Participants 50 years of age or older were recruited and exclusion criteria included taking supplements containing B vitamins or consuming >4 portions of fortified foods per week. The vitamin-fortified drinks were developed by Smartfish (Norway). Participants were randomised to receive either B vitamin or placebo drinks to consume daily for 16 weeks. A total of 81 participants were recruited (n=41 in UCD; n=40 UU) and preliminary data from the UCD cohort is presented here. Anthropometry and blood vitamin biomarker status were measured pre and post intervention. Compliance was assessed using a check sheet which participants returned post-intervention, in conjunction with any remaining drinks.Each drink was developed to contain 6.4g protein, 21.7g CHO, 11g fat, 2400mg Omega 3, and 10u00b5g Vitamin D3. Each B vitamin drink was additionally fortified with 5mg vitamin B2, 10mg vitamin B6, 10u00b5g vitamin B12 and 200u00b5g folic acid. Mean characteristics of UCD participants were as follows: age 63yrs, waist:hip 0.86, BMI 26.65kg/m2, blood pressure 121/73mmHg. A total of 34 participants completed the intervention, of these 28 consumed >90% of the drinks and 33 consumed >80% of the drinks. The percentage of drinks consumed was weakly associated with age (r=0.433, p=0.011) at baseline. Of the 7 participants who dropped out, most withdrew within the first two weeks of the intervention and 5 cited dislike of the drinks as the reason. This study demonstrated that the fortified drinks developed were well received by older adults. Compliance to the intervention was high. Future work will include analysis of B vitamin biomarkers to determine the effectiveness of the drinks in optimising B vitamin status.